Flying toy gliders is a recreational activity enjoyed by many people. Of particular interest herein are gliders which are catapulted/launched into the air to achieve an initial height, possibly through the use of a slingshot or catapult type mechanism, and subsequently glide back down to the ground. The enjoyment associated with launched gliders is often increased by increasing the initial height achieved, and thereby increasing the length of time the glider remains in flight.
An increased initial height can be achieved by reducing the amount of drag exerted on the glider during the period of time between the launching of the glider and the glider achieving its initial height. One method of reducing drag is to utilize a glider having wings which have a reduced drag configuration for launching (hereinafter "launch configuration"), and another configuration suitable for gliding (hereinafter "glide configuration").
One problem associated with the use of folding or otherwise re-configurable wings (hereinafter simply "folding wings") is how to reliably transition the wings from the launch configuration to the glide configuration at an appropriate time. A common mechanism involves biasing the wings towards a glide configuration, folding the wings back against the bias for launching, launching the glider, and allowing the drag forces exerted on the glider to maintain the wings in the launch configuration until the glider slows sufficiently for the bias to cause the wings to transition to the glide configuration (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,664, Issued Apr. 10, 1990 to Bakker; U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,413, Issued Sep. 5, 1989 to Schwarts; U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,412, Issued Sep. 5, 1989 to Mihalinec; U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,817, Issued Jun. 6, 1989 to Corbin, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,706, Issued Jun. 13, 1995 to Chase). The use of air pressure to maintain wing position has a serious drawback, in that the benefit of the reduced drag is lost as the wings begin to unfold. The bias on the wings starts to force the wings to transition to a glide configuration before the glider achieves its initial height with the drag forces on the glider increasing during the transition process.
Another method which has been used involves including a radio controlled motor in the glider, with the wings being deployed after receipt of a radio signal (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,736, Issued Jul. 26, 1988 to Carlson). The method is not entirely satisfactory as it greatly increases the cost, complexity, and weight of the glider, and requires operator involvement in the reconfiguration process.
Thus, there is a continuing need to improve release mechanisms for launched, toy gliders.